Labeling-machine.



A. LA FRANGt.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATlON mm SEPT. 22. 1913.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET l.

Inventor-z Jill-red La Franc Witn eases:

' Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

e. I m u (a, a w s 4 r ,t m 0 y 0 F. 4 m m 3 4 nw e L nn V d m .m H MyWitnesses:

A. LA FRANCE.

LABELING MACHINE.

'APPucmon mm SEPT. 22, 1913.

1,245,600. Patented Nov 6, 1917."

4 suns-sun a.

- Fig.6.

I nve ntor: JIH'r-ecl La France,

Witness es 2 A. LA FRANCE.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1913.

1,245,600. Patented NOV. 6, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- w I I4 Witnesses: Inventor-z I b .flttfg UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED LA FBAN CE, 01 CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE- ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LABELING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED LA FRANCE, a. citizen of the United States,residing at Central Falls, county of Providence, State of Rhode Island,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Labeling-Machines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the application and afiixing of labels, and itcomprises a machine for this purpose which is comparatively simple inconstruction and rapid and reliable in operation, and which presentsvarious other advantages which Wlll hereinafter become apparent. Whilemy invention extends to the particular machine hereinafter describedwith a special reference to its employment for the labeling ofincandescent electric lamps, and to many of its specific features anddetails, which are of importance on account of their practical advan--tages, yet it is to be understood that my invention is not limitedthereto, but can be otherwise carried out and can be applied and adaptedalso to the afiixing of labels to articles other than incandescentlamps.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of themachine, certain parts being broken away and removed for the sake ofavoiding confusion of the drawing; Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3 is aside elevation; Fig. 4 is an elevation showing various parts in avertical section through the line 1-4 in Fig. 2; Figs. 5, 6 and 7 aredetailed views of the label punching and affixing mechanism; Figs. 8 and9 are detailed views of the cams for actuating the said mechanism; Figs.10 and 11 are detailed views of the label strip and its advancing roll;Figs. 12 and 13 are detailed views showing clutch mechanism.

The machine shown not only applies the labels to the lamp bulbs, butalso cuts them from the stock. This stock has the form of a long papertape or strip with a series of labels-printed on one side thereof. Thetape is fed past the position of the lamp bulb and that portion of thetape bearing the label is punched therefrom and pressed against thebulb. Means are provided for supplying moisture so that the label willadhere to the bulb. The machine shown is,

moreover, adapted to be driven by power and to operate automatically andcontinuously, and its action of afiixing a label is brought about by thelamp bulb to which it is to be applied when it comes into the properposition for the application of the label. The insertion of the lampbulb starts a cycle {including the proper sequence of operations whichis automatically sto ped when a label has been aflixed and the labelbearing strip has been advanced to bring another label into properposition. This machine has duplicate mechanisms such that a plurality ofdifferent labels can be simultaneously aflixed to one lamp.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, the strip of labels is wound in a roll andplaced on a pin or stud 3 at the center of a somewhat inclined plateshaft '4 which is mounted on a bracket 5 attached to the frame structure6 of the machine. The tape passes over a wheel or pulley 7 suitablymounted at the edge of shaft 4; to a guide 8 over the face of which itextends to a feeding device 9 having the form of a'wheel with pins 10 onits periphery which are adapted to engage in holes 11 in the tape. Aswill be seen from Fig. 2, the opposed faces of the guides 8 are inclinedto each other and have the form of shallow troughs covered by plates 12,and are located above and on each side of an upright sleeve 13 adaptedto receive a lamp base. As shown inFigs. 1, 3 and 4, a part 14 with acenter opening adapted to receive the lamp bulb is arranged above theguides 8, (this part 14 being omitted from Fig. 2 in order that theparts which it covers may be visible). As will also be seen from Figs.2, 5 and 7, the the means for punching out the label portions of the,strips and applying them to the lamp bulb, the covering plates 12 havingholes (Fig. 4) in alinement with the punching means, as will be seenfrom Fig. 5 and others, the punching of the label portions of the strips1 is accomplished by hollow punches 15 in section substantially the samesize as the label and adapted to be recipr0- cated through the holes 15in the cover plates 12, as hereinafter described. 1 The affixing of thedetached labels to the lamp bulbs is effected by pins 16 which slidewithin the punches 15 and are shown as having suitable form with felting16 thereon so that they will press the labels against the curved surfaceof the lamp bulb in such a uides 8 accommodate a manner as to cause themto adhere properly thereto. The parts 15 and 16 are actuated by cams 17mounted at the upper end of the inclined shafts 18, which extend downinside the hollow body portion of the frame structure 6 and are driventhrough beveled gears 19 from a shaft 20 which is driven and actuated ashereinafter described. As shown in Figs. 2, 5, 8 and others, the cam 17is composed of four portions, A, B, C and D. The portions A and C engagethe punch 15, the portion B the part 16, and the portion D the abutment17 on the guide 8. The portion D thus acts to swing the guide 8 towardthe receiver 14 and to allow it to recede at the proper times. The parts21 on which the guides or sleeves just mentioned are mounted are pivotedat 22 on lugs or bracket portions 23 projecting rearwardly from the bodyportion of the frame structure 6 already referred to, and the feed rolls9 above referred to are also mounted on these parts 21 so as to movetherewith and not vary in position with.

reference to the guides 8 when the latter swing as just described. Thesefeed rolls are given a proper turning movement to feed the tape onelabel space each time the punch 15 and part 16 are actuated, so as tobring a fresh label portion of the strip 1 into position to be operatedupon. As shown, this is accomplished from the cams 17 by means of dogs30 pivoted thereto at 31 and having end portions adapted to engageratchet teeth 32 on the upper sides of the rolls 9 (Figs. 2 and.3) thesedogs beingheld in engagement with the ratchet teeth just described bysprings 33 which extend from them to the parts 21 above mentioned. Itwill readily be seen that when the cams 17 are given the singlerevolution necessary to cause alabel to be out out and applied to thelamp bulb, the dogs 30 will first move one tooth space so as to takehold upon the next ratchet tooth 32 and then pull back the same distanceso as to turn the feed roll a sufficient distance to bring another labelportion of the tape 1 into position to be acted upon by the parts 15 and16, the movement of the dog 30 being so timed with reference to theaction of the earns 17 on the parts 15 and 16 that it will .not start tomove back and turn the roll until after the application of the label tothe lamp bulb has occurred and the parts 15 and 16 have receded farenough not to interfere with the movement of the tape 1. As will also beseen from Figs. 2, 3 and 4, there is a roll 40 having suitable grooves40 in it to accommodate the pins 10 which is mounted upon a part 41pivoted at 42 on the part 21, this roller being held in contact with thetape 1 so as to keep it properly engaged with the periphery of the feedroll 9 by a spring 43 mounted on the upper end of the axis about whichthe structure 21 swings. As also shown in Figs. 1 and 3, there is aspring or brush-like part 44 having slots therein to. v

allow the passage of the pins 10 which engages the periphery of the feedroll 9 a short distance beyond the roller 40 so as to insure that theadhesive side of the tape 1 shall not stick to the roll 9 and result intangling of the tape. This brush 44 is fixed to a stud on the frame 21in any suitable manner, as shown in the drawing by a screw, and it is tobe understood that the free end of this brush projects into engagementwith the roll 9 and strips the tape therefrom, causing the tape toescape between the roller 40 and the brush, the tape being omitted inthese figures for convenience in illustration.

The moisture necessary to cause adhesion of the labels to the lamp bulbsis applied at opposite sides of the bulb by means of a pair of felt pads50 mounted on the forward ends of springy metallic strips which aresecured to a part 52 and the pads 50 are in the position indicated inFigs. 2 and 4; but when the labels are to be applied the parts 52 and 50move forward and backward so thatthe latter pome in contact with thesides of the bulb and wet them and are withdrawn out of the way beforethe parts 15 and 16 come into action. Moisture is applied to the pads 50from a reservoir or tank 54 which lies beneath them when. they are intheir rearward position (Figs.'2 and 4) this bein effected by a movingpart which dips in the tank when pads are carried forward and rises intocontact with them when first they return to their position shown inFigs. 2 and 4. As shown, the parts which of curled ends of wires 56which are secured to a part 57 pivoted at 58 between lugs 59 on a part60 which is attached to the frame of the machine, the rear ends of saidwires being clamped to the part 57 by a part 61 secured thereto by acouple of screws. As shown, the up and down movement of the eyelets isproduced by the inclined upper surface of the part 52, which, as it isreciprocated to and fro, raises and lowers the parts 57 thus causing theaforesaid loop to be alternately lowered into the tank 54 and raisedinto contact with the moving pads 50. Water is supplied to tank througha tube 62 which leads from it to a sleeve 63 at the rear end of thebracket extension in which fits the neck of an inverted glass 64. Avalve, not shown, may serve to regulate the flow of water to the tank.

Power to operate the machine is, as

shown, supplied by pulley 70 on one end 7 tion for the application ofone or more labels thereto. As will be seen from Figs. 12' and 13, whichshow the clutch mechanism when the pulley 70 is removed, the clutchproper comprises parts 71, 71 pivoted at 72, 72 on a disk 73 whose hub74 is fast on the shaft 20. Mounted on the disk and pivotally support bythe pin 76 is a part 75, the latter being connected by pins 77 and linksto the parts 71. On the pin 76 is also fiized an arm 80 which is actedupon by a plunger 81 mounted in a holder 82 on the rear side of the disk73 and acted upon by a compression spring 83 therein. The outer end ofthis arm 80 rests against a part 85 pivoted at 86 on a flange portion 87of the frame structure 6 and retained in this position by a part 88pivoted at 89 and engaging its rear side at 90. With this constructionit will be seen, the disk 73 and parts mounted on it will remainstatio'nar'v while the pulley. 70 revolves fully until t e part 88 isdisplaced so as to al ow-the part 85 to be forced back by the arm 80under the actionof the spring 83 which will cause the setting of theclutch and cause the disk 73 and the shaft 20 to revolve. It willfurther be observed that if the part 88 is immediately returned to itsinitial position, the part 85 will return to its initial position assoon as the arm 80 has moved past it and will be in position to engagesaid arm 80 and throw out the clutch at the end of one revolution fromthe time that it was thrown in, so that each time the part 88 isdisplaced downward, the shaft 20 and the parts driven thereby will makeone revolution and then stop in their initial positions. As alreadystated, t e setting of the clutch mechanism is produced by the lamp bulbas it comes into proper position for the affixing of the labels. As willbe seen from Fig. 4, there is a part 91 adapted to slide in a bearingcarried by a web 92 in the sleeve and to come in contact with the lampbase when the lamp is introduced into the machine. The lower end of thispart 91 engages one end of the bell crank lever 93 which extends througha slot in the rear wall of the hollow portion of the frame structure 6and is pivoted at 94 on a lug 95 thereon. The other end of this lever ispivoted at 96 to one end of the catch or dog member 97. The lower end ofthis catch or dog 97 engages a projection or lug 98 on a crank 99mounted on a shaft 100, a spring 101 connected between a screw 102 nearthe upper end of the dog and screw 103 in the hub of the crank 99serving to urge the catch backward against the lug and to urge the crankdownward against the acting face of the dog. The shaft 100 is mountedwith hearings in a lug 105 on the frame structure 6 and in the flange 87and carries on its other end the part 88 already mentioned, so

that when a bulb is introduced into the machine and pushed down into thesleeve 13, the part 91 will be forced downward to cause the setting ofthe clutch. The dog 97 has thereon a pin 110 which extends through aslot 111 in a part 112 pivoted at 113 to the arm 121 of the bell cranklever 120, so that when this arm swings forward to actuate part 52 andthe parts actuated and operated thereby it will pull the dog backagainst the resistance of the spring 101 so as to give the parts 98 and99 a chance to return to the positions where they are shown in Fig. 4,lug 98 at this time resting against the surface of the dog below theacting shoulder 97, and the parts in question maintaining this relationuntil the return and rearward movement of the arm 121 and the Withdrawalof the lamp from the machine allows the dog to move down and swing backso as to engage the lug 98 as shown in Fig. 4.

The pressing of a lamp base against the pin 91 depresses the same andthis in turn causes the dog 97 to turn the shaft 100 in such a directionthat the stop 88 is depressed. The clutch members 71 then close causingthe rotation of shaft 20. The earn 122 on said shaft then engages thelever 120 and causes the pads 50 to be reciprocated forward against thesurface of the bulb, at the same time allowing the loops 56 to fall intothe tank 54. During this movement the dog 97 is pulled forward so as toclear the lug 98 and the arm 99, the shaft 100 and the stop 88 return totheir original positions. Just previous to this the part 85 has returnedto its initial position being no longer acted upon by part 80. As therotation of shaft 20 continues, the cam 122 clears the lever 120 and theaction of spring 123 causes that lever and the lever 121 to return totheir initial positions thus causing the pads 50 to be retracted and theloops 56 to be raised into contact therewith. The continuation of therotation'of shaft 20 causes the punches 15 and the affixing pins 16 tobe reciprocated to aifix labels to the moistened portions of the bulb.These parts are then allowed to spring back to their initial positionand the part 21 is swung back. Simultaneously with this the rolls 9 areturned through the dogs 30 so as to ad- Vance another label intoregistry with the holes 15. The completion of the rotation of the shaft20 brings the part 80 into contact with part 85 which forces it back andthrough the connected parts releases the clutch 71. The cessation ofpressure upon pin 90 attendant upon the withdrawal of the bulb allowsthe dog 97 to drop to its initial position with the shoulder 97 engagingthe lug 98. The parts of the machine are then in position to beginanother cycle which be started by the insertion of another ,What I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a labeling machine, means for holding an article to belabeled,means for feedin a continuous label bearing strip past sa1darticle when in said holding means, means for applying moisture to aportion of said article, means for punching a label from said strip andfor aflixin it to said article, means whereby the a oresaid operationsare given a predetermined sequence, and means mounted so as to beengaged by said article when in said holding means for starting a cycleof said operations having said sequence.

2. .In a labeling machine, means for bold ing an article to be labeled,means for feedin a continuous label bearing strip past sald article whenin said holding means, means for applying moisture to a portion of saidarticle, means for punching a label from said strip and for afiixing itto said article, means whereby the aforesaid operations are given apredetermined sequence, and means mounted so as to be operated by thepressing of said article into said holding means, for starting a cycleof said operations having said sequence.

3. In a labeling machine, means for holding an article to be labeled,means for feeding a continuous label-bearing strip past said articlewhen in said holding means, means for applying moisture to a portion ofsaid article, means for punching a label from said strip and foraffixing it to said article, means whereby-the aforesaid operations aregiven a predetermined sequence, pressure actuated means for starting acycle of said operations having said sequence and means for stopping thesame upon the completion of said cycle.

4. In a labeling machine, means for holding an article to be labeled,means for feedin a continuous label-bearing strip past said article whenin said holding means, means for applying moisture to a portion of saidarticle, means for punching a label from said strip and for afiixing itto said article,

means whereby the aforesaid operations are given a predeterminedsequence, means operated by pressing the said article in said holdingmeans for starting a cycle of said operations having said sequence andautomatic means for stopping the same upon the removal of said pressure.a

5. In a labeling machine, the combinationv of a die, a punch registeringtherewith, a

yielding label affixer also registering with said die, and means foradvancing said punch through said die and subsequently advancing saidaflixer beyond said punch.

6. In a labeling machine, the combination of a reel for holding a rolledlabel-bearing strip, a feeding roll having means thereon for engagingperforations in said strip, a

label punching die located intermediate said reel and said roll, andguiding means for causing said strip to assume a predetermined positionwith reference to said die.

7. In a labeling machine, means for receiving an article to be labeled,means disposed on each side of said receiving means for causing acontinuous label strip to be carried past said receiving means, meansfor punching a label from said strip and for affixing it to an articlewhen placed in said receiving means, and automatic means whereby theinsertion of the article into the receiving means causes the aforestatedoperations to be performed.

8. In a labeling machine, substantially vertically disposed receivingmeans for the article to be labeled, means for feeding a continuouslabel bearing strip in a substantially horizontal direction past thesaid article, substantially horizontally disposed means for punching alabel from said strip and for applying it-to said article, and automaticmeans for actuating the aforesaid means and for afterward causing saidlabelbearing strip to be advanced another step.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day ofSeptember, 1913.

ALFRED LA FRANCE.

Witnesses:

G. E. LooKwoon, H. A. GREINER.

